Part I of fire safety: staffing shortfall, difficult summer for fire brigade
The fire services department in this industrial area is once again faced with a challenging challenge as summer approaches. The hot season is when there are more fire occurrences, and since the department lacks personnel, workers must put in more hours during crises.
There is not enough labor to support Ludhiana’s 20 lakh inhabitants. It is noteworthy that Ludhiana has previously seen significant fire disasters that resulted in the deaths of industrial personnel.
According to information from the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation-run fire services department, just 33 of the 147 regular positions are filled. Additionally, there are only two Sub Fire Officers available for duty when there should be fifteen, and there are only one Fire Station Officer when there should be four.
Therefore, if it weren’t for the outsourced workers recruited by Punjab Ex-Servicemen Corporation (PESCO) offering their services, the fire department would not have been able to provide its present level of service. Based on available data, there are 67 outsourced workers who work alongside regular staff members, including 17 drivers and 50 firefighters. The outsourced workers organized a rally last year to call for regularization, but their requests were ignored. Interestingly, the brigade only employs one permanent driver and six temporary workers.
